Celebrating the life of Angelo Fred Rivera

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Obituary for Angelo Fred Rivera

Angelo Rivera passed away peacefully on September 29th at age 94 after a brief illness. He is survived by his loving wife Joan, sons Gary and Thomas, and his deceased daughter, Joan Marie, and his granddaughter, Ariana Rivera.

Angelo was born in Palisades Park, NJ and was trained as a Precision Machinist, designing and fabricating components and tools for several machine shops. During WWII, he served his country in the US Air Force as a Staff Sergeant and B-17 Bomber Crew Chief. Though his duty was difficult and dangerous, Angelo appreciated his time ‘in service,’ resulting in a life-long love of aviation.

Upon his return from the War, Angelo met Joan Marie Maher, where she worked part-time at a local bakery. They soon married and raised their three children in a home that Angelo designed and built in Avenel, NJ. Angelo was soon hired by Johnson & Johnson, where he maintained a range of manufacturing equipment for 25 years until his retirement in 1985.

Having often visited two of their children ‘out West,’ Joan and Angelo decided to make California their permanent home, moving to Sun City in 2001. Throughout his retirement, Angelo was an accomplished wood worker with a passion for creating fine furniture. As an avid sports fan, he loved his ‘home town’ teams, including the Dodgers, Yankees, and Green Bay. Family and friends alike appreciated Angelo for his ever-present sense of humor, integrity, and caring for his fellow man. He will be dearly missed by all that knew him. Rest in peace, Bup.

Angelo will be interred with military honors at the Riverside National Cemetery. The family appreciates your loving thoughts and prayers in lieu of flowers or gifts.

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